I’m Opal, and I'm a big nerd.
I want to know everything about everything and use it to make the world a bit better. The human brain is whack. It’s the best and worst thing about us; we often do things that don’t serve us well, which bugs me.
It’s fair to say I’m a wannabe scientist & anthropologist who loves to dive in, figure out what the hell is going on and try and make it better.
That’s why I don’t buy the complete separation of creativity & strategy. No one outside the industry sees the difference either; they see relatable or not relatable, right or wrong, good or bad. Couple that belief with everything I’ve learned, having come from a brand perspective, and you get me refusing to choose. I even started a podcast to find others like me, interviewing all levels and disciplines and discussing ways of making the industry more friendly for those with multi-disciplinary skills. Yes, strategy itself is a problem I’m trying to solve.
I’ve had the privilege of working under and with some of the best in the industry for eight years: Sir John Hegarty, Nick Kendall [The Garage Soho] and Rankin, plus several secondments at agencies and in-house. They taught me the foundations of brand and strategy in building, scaling and maintaining brands from a legacy or the ground up, as well as launching, PRing and generating fame. From market & competitor research - quick & dirty or briefed into partners - A/B testing, comms planning, creative or tactical briefing, stakeholder management or pitching, and everything else, I’ve done it all (and somehow lived to tell the tale!).
That experience with start-ups, C-suite execs and investors has ensured I’m always focused on my work driving towards business objectives, long and short. Most of all, it’s cemented my belief in brands, business & creativity that adds value to the world through more than just their services or products. Brands, their media & advertising should use their power, presence and voice to positively influence culture, and I help them do that with my slightly unconventional approach.
I’ve done some kind of strategy on every project I, or we, have ever worked on.
I specialise in brand and creative strategy, whether it’s taking a Heritage brand like Anglepoise ATL for the first time, working in-house for a rebrand and relaunch like Roscomar, a TVC campaign for a scale-up like Simba Sleep or a brand concept store like Finds.
If you want to see my Strat CV, or behind the scenes on the strategy, briefs or comms planning across our projects - give me a shout!
In the meantime, here are some very official references on my strategy skills...
A good, talented planner.
Nick Kendall
Founder ⏤ The Garage Soho, Electric Glue & Ex-Global Planning director ⏤ BBH
Opal is fearlessly switched on to the most nuanced and progressive of societal, political and cultural conversations — and knows where brands should sit within them for sustainable and active progression in ever-changing landscapes.
Ellie Jackson
Creative Director, Concept & Copy ⏤ Kemmler & Kemmler
As Strategic with comms as she is creative, she handled both, so I never had to figure out the difference.
Johan Olsson
Founder & Ex-CEO ⏤ Roscomar
Opal is one of those rare individuals that is comfortable saying the difficult things. The challenging things. The insights that create the silent pauses in the room. The ones that make you stop and think. She then juggles roles like hot potatoes to make things happen.
Simon Terry
Managing Director ⏤ Anglepoise
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